First TransPennine Express is one of the few UK train operating companies running 24 hours a day, including through New Year's Eve night. For example, trains run between York, Leeds and Manchester Airport at least every three hours every night of the week.

In 2000, the Strategic Rail Authority announced that it planned to reorganise the North West Regional Railways and Regional Railways North East franchises operated by First North Western and Arriva Trains Northern. A TransPennine Express franchise would be created for the long-distance regional services, the remaining services being operated by a new Northern franchise.[6]

In July 2003, the Strategic Rail Authority awarded the TransPennine franchise to FirstGroup/Keolis, and the services operated by Arriva Trains Northern and First North Western transferred to First TransPennine Express on 1 February 2004.[7]

The franchise was due to end on 31 January 2012, but in August 2011 the Department for Transport awarded First TransPennine Express an extension until March 2015.[8] Included was a clause to allow this date to be brought forward to April 2014 to allow it to coincide with the end-date of the Northern Rail franchise. In March 2013 the Secretary of State for Transport announced the franchise would again be extended until 4 February 2016.[9]

The future continuation of the franchise was not certain. Local transport authorities and consultancies had proposed merging Trans-Pennine services into other franchises to increase efficiency on the rail network.[10] The Manchester Airport to Scotland service could be transferred to the InterCity West Coast franchise after the electrification of lines around Manchester by 2018. The south Trans-Pennine route between Manchester and Cleethorpes could be transferred to East Midlands Trains who already operate an hourly service on the Manchester to Sheffield section.[11]

Most services between Manchester Airport and Newcastle now run early morning/late evenings.

The Manchester to Liverpool section is supplemented by East Midlands Trains' hourly service from Norwich and a Northern Rail hourly Manchester Airport to Liverpool express service (which runs via Newton-le-Willows rather than Warrington Central), thus giving four fast services per hour between Manchester and Liverpool. Similarly, the service between Leeds and Newcastle is augmented by an hourly CrossCountry service. Trains between York and Newcastle are also operated by East Coast.

Under Arriva Trains Northern, Newcastle services continued to Sunderland. When First TransPennine Express first took over the franchise it extended the Manchester to Hull service to Bridlington, a decision later reversed.

In May 2014 a new hourly service between Liverpool Lime Street to Newcastle Central was introduced. This service runs non stop between Liverpool and Manchester Victoria and then onward to Newcastle via Leeds. This service reduced journey times between Liverpool and Manchester by 15 minutes and Liverpool to Leeds by 25 minutes.

An hourly service operates from Manchester Airport to Cleethorpes via Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Sheffield, Doncaster and Scunthorpe. The Manchester to Sheffield sector is supplemented by East Midlands Trains hourly Liverpool to Norwich service, giving a half-hourly service of fast trains between Manchester and Sheffield. Additional services to/from Manchester Airport may start or terminate at Sheffield or Doncaster.

Following timetable changes in May 2014 the following services now operate:

1tph between Manchester Airport and Blackpool North. Some services also run to/from Barrow-in-Furness and Windermere which are detached/attached at Preston. A number of peak services start or terminate at Preston.

1tph between Manchester Airport and Glasgow Central or Edinburgh Waverley (alternating). Most of these services are ran by Class 350s (some Edinburgh services run in 8 car formations) however a number of services are still ran by Class 185s.

With the completion of the first stage of the North West electrification programme, the Scottish services will be operated from 8 December 2013 by newly arrived Class 350 electric units and rerouted to stop at Wigan North Western after joining the West Coast Main Line close to Newton-le-Willows. Most stops at Bolton and Chorley will be withdrawn as a result.[14]

A franchise commitment was the replacement of the entire fleet, so in 2005 First TransPennine ordered 56 (later cut back by the Strategic Rail Authority to 51) three-car Class 185 Desiros, the first of which entered service in March 2006.

Most of the Class 185s were delivered in FirstGroup's neon blue livery. The "i" in the logo of Keolis is used as the "i" in the TransPennine Express logo in addition to the First "flying f" logo. The first eight units were delivered in First's dark blue livery, and later reliveried with neon blue vinyls.

The Class 185 trains proved popular with off-peak travellers, although these satisfaction levels decrease for passengers undertaking long-distance journeys and at peak times.[16]

Despite the 185s having a higher capacity than two-car 158s, 185s frequently leave passengers behind due to severe overcrowding at peak times.[17]Transport for Greater Manchester stated in 2007 that projected passenger numbers would probably mean that 100–125 mph (161–201 km/h) 8-car units would be needed by 2014.[18]

It was planned to operate all services with the new Class 185 Desiros. However, weight restrictions on the Micklefield to Hull line restrict the Class 185s to 65–75 mph (105–121 km/h). To solve this and create extra capacity, First TransPennine Express leased eight Class 170 Turbostars from late 2006 that were surplus to South West Trains' requirements, and in November 2007 a ninth was transferred from Central Trains. The Class 185 Desiros operate across the network, the Class 170 Turbostars on services from Manchester to Cleethorpes, Hull and York.

Since May 2014 services between Manchester and Scotland have been operated by 110 mph capable electric multiple units.[19] This will enable the diesel trains currently in use on the Manchester to Scotland services to be transferred to other TransPennine Express services.[20] The Manchester Airport to Blackpool route will also be electrified, allowing further diesel trains to be cascaded on to other TransPennine Express services. However, this will be after the end of the current TransPennine Express franchise.

In February 2012 the Department for Transport announced that 10 four-car electric Class 350 Desiros had been ordered to operate services from Manchester to Scotland via Wigan after electrification.[21][22] It was confirmed that all the existing rolling stock would remain with the franchise to boost capacity.

However in March 2014 it was announced that the nine Class 170 Turbostars will move to Chiltern Railways.[23] MP Stephen Hammond revealed on 12 March 2014 that all the class 170/3s will remain with First TransPennine Express until the May 2015 timetable change.[24]

In January 2015 it was confirmed Chiltern will take 5 of the First TransPennine Class 170s from May 2015 and the other four from February 2016. First TransPennine will hire Class 156 Super Sprinters from Northern Rail to work in pairs on the Manchester Airport-Blackpool North route.[25](which were originally intended to be used for extra capacity on Northern Rail services) to cover for the shortfall until February 2016. It is unclear what trains the next TransPennine Express franchise will take on in lieu of the 156s/170s from February 2016.

First TransPennine Express' services run over a large area of northern England and southern Scotland. Many of the largest stations they serve are managed by a different TOC or, in five cases, Network Rail.

^"The Pennine Class 185 experience - What do passengers think?" (Press release). Passenger Focus. May 2007. Retrieved 10 June 2008. More than 90% of passengers said they are satisfied with the key measures – getting a seat, the ease of getting on and off the train and cleanliness of the train interior. ... However, the research also shows that passenger satisfaction with comfort decreases as the journey time increases.